Molecular Pathogens, 2025, Vol.16, No.1, 27-35 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/mp 27 Meta-Analysis Open Access Meta-Analysis of Disease Resistance Genes in Sweet Potato: A Focus on Viral and Fungal Pathogens Jianquan Li Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China Corresponding email: jianquan.li@hitar.org Molecular Pathogens, 2025, Vol.16, No.1 doi: 10.5376/mp.2025.16.0004 Received: 15 Dec, 2024 Accepted: 25 Jan., 2025 Published: 08 Feb., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Li J.Q., 2025, Meta-analysis of disease resistance genes in sweet potato: a focus on viral and fungal pathogens, Molecular Pathogens, 16(1): 27-35 (doi: 10.5376/mp.2025.16.0004) Abstract This study integrates the latest advancements in the genetic basis of disease resistance in sweet potato, with a focus on resistance (R) genes associated with viral and fungal pathogens. It also analyzes marker-assisted breeding and genome editing technologies. The findings reveal that key mechanisms of resistance against viral pathogens include the role of RNA silencing pathways, structural and functional analyses of resistance proteins, and gene networks involved in systemic resistance. For fungal pathogens, the synthesis of antimicrobial compounds, activation of signal transduction pathways, and cell wall modifications play critical roles in preventing fungal invasion. Through case studies, such as resistance management for Sweet Potato Leaf Curl Virus (SPLCV) and fungal diseases, this study provides valuable insights into field applications and breeding strategies. These efforts aim to promote innovation in disease-resistant breeding technologies and ultimately support the sustainable development of sweet potato production. Keywords Sweet potato; Disease resistance genes; Viral pathogens; Fungal pathogens; Marker-assisted breeding 1 Introduction Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a very common crop because it is nutritious and adaptable and is grown all over the world. However, during the planting process, it is prone to illness, especially diseases caused by viruses and fungi, which have a great impact. Among them, Fusarium oxysporum can lead to a fungal disease called “blight”. This disease will reduce the yield of sweet potatoes and deteriorate the quality. There are also some Fusariums that can also cause stem and root rot, which also pose a great threat to the growth of sweet potatoes (Kim et al., 2023; Wang et al., 2024). These diseases not only reduce yield, but also cause the quality of the tubers to suffer economic losses (Duan et al., 2019). In order to ensure sustainable agricultural development and food security, it is very important to cultivate disease-resistant sweet potato varieties. We need to first find which genes are related to disease resistance and understand the functions of these genes in order to cultivate more disease-resistant varieties. Recently, some studies have used transcriptome and genome-wide association analysis methods to find genes and signaling pathways related to sweet potato disease resistance (Lin et al., 2017; Qiao et al., 2023). For example, some studies have found that genes involved in the synthesis of “scopoletin” in sweet potatoes may help increase resistance to Fusarium oxysporum, which can be used as a key target for future breeding (Osmani et al., 2019). In addition, finding some SNP markers related to Fusarium mycorrhizal rot also helps to select disease-resistant plants with molecular markers. This study will summarize the current research results on sweet potato disease-resistant genes, focus on diseases caused by viruses and fungi, analyze the genetic basis of disease resistance and related molecular mechanisms, introduce the key disease-resistant genes and signaling pathways found so as to ultimately provide a theoretical basis for cultivating highly resistant sweet potato varieties, thereby improving yield and quality. 2 Genetic Basis of Disease Resistance in Sweet Potato 2.1 Overview of resistance (R) genes in viral pathogens Sweet potato is a very important food crop, but it is susceptible to pathogens such as viruses during its growth.
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